My friend Bobby suggested we go to trivia night at the Tavern at the End of the World in Somerville. Regan (henceforth known as fluffy) and I met up with Bobby and his co-workers Josh and Sonja. So the team was 5 people. I’ve played trivia a few times in the past and never done very well. My obscure knowledge is rarely called upon in bar trivia, unfortunately.

I asked our waitress, Kristin, what she suggested as a beer for one who had never had beer before. She suggested a Raspberry Hefeweizen (which is a wheat beer) but Bobby chimed in and called for a Sam Adams Summer Ale. Wanting to support the local guy, I agreed.

I’m sorry to say that it tasted terrible. Everyone claims that beer is an acquired taste but it makes me wonder why anyone would subject themselves to drinking something that doesn’t taste good. Being punched in the face sucks. If you’re punched in the face enough times you kind of start to expect it an you build up at least a little bit of a tolerance. But why on earth would you go out and practice that?

I only had a few sips and then I passed it off to fluffy, who offered me some of her Raspberry Hefeweizen - the beer originally suggested by the waitress - and it, too, tasted terrible.

Fluffy suggested that I get another “girl drink” so we asked Kristin what her opinion was. She offered to make me something called a “Leaping Lizard”. I’m pretty much always interested in something with lizard in the name, so I agreed.

A Leaping Lizard, as make by Kristin, contains:
Malibu rum
Midori
Pinapple juice

Leaping Lizard:

It was actually rather tasty. I’m starting to get worried that the drinks I’m liking are A) drowned in sugar and B) mostly consisting of rum. I guess I’m like the new Jack Sparrow?

Fluffy tried some of the Leaping Lizard.
She said, “It tastes like suntan lotion.”
Taken back, I said, “What? Is that bad?”
To which she replied, “No, no. It’s good. It just tastes like suntan lotion smells.”

Does suntan lotion contain alcohol? I don’t think I want to drink suntan lotion - experiment be damned.

I noticed that tonight I didn’t get the dull throbbing headache from the previous nights drinking. Either I’m getting used to it or it was unrelated.

I drank early in the evening so as to give myself lots of buffer time to drive home, and I drank a few glasses of water after. I can’t help but feel like I’m maybe circumventing the effects of alcohol by drinking so much water and in small quantities. I’m not sure if that’s a bad thing or not. I’m probably taking things slower than I expected due to circumstances (work, traveling, etc) and a bit of apprehension.

A bunch of people have told me that they don’t want me to drink much, or to keep drinking when the experiment is over. These are people who themselves drink an average amount. I don’t get it. If they think drinking is such a bad idea and even wish they didn’t drink, why don’t they quit? Are they that addicted to alcohol, or is the social aspect something they simply cannot give up or couldn’t imagine operating without?

I think this weekend I’m going to try to make plans and backup plans to see what Boston has to offer Friday and Saturday. Maybe I can leave my car somewhere and take the train so I don’t have to worry about driving home. Or find a pre-August 25th Christian that doesn’t drink to drive me around.

I’m curious as to how people who don’t drink would behave around me now that I’m drinking. Will they treat me differently?